Israel confirmed Monday it has recovered the remains of the final Israeli hostage held in Gaza, ending a more than two-year ordeal and clearing a major obstacle in the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas.
The recovery followed a large-scale Israeli military operation at a cemetery in northern Gaza, where troops were searching for the body of Ran Gvili. The 24-year-old served in Israel’s Police Special Forces and was killed in combat during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. His body was abducted to Gaza during the assault, according to a statement from Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October under a 20-point peace framework brokered by President Donald Trump, who described the deal as a first step toward a “strong, durable and everlasting peace.” The agreement’s initial phase required the return of all hostages, living or deceased.
The deceased hostage SFC Ran Gvili has been identified and will be returned for burial.
According to the information and intelligence available to us, SFC Ran Gvili, 24, who served in the Israeli Police Special Forces, fell in combat on the morning of Oct. 7, 2023, and his body… https://t.co/K4vFVsF60r pic.twitter.com/TN2CWMpKEM— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 26, 2026
Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks killed over 1,200 people, including Americans, and saw roughly 250 hostages dragged into Gaza. Prior to Gvili’s recovery, Hamas had returned the remains of all but one of those hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Gvili’s recovery as an “extraordinary achievement for the State of Israel.”
“We promised — and I promised — to bring everyone back. We brought them all back, down to the very last captive,” Netanyahu said.
Although Gvili’s remains were still in Gaza at the time, the Trump administration formally launched the second phase of the peace plan on Jan. 14. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said the next stage would transition the Gaza peace deal from a temporary ceasefire toward demilitarization, technocratic governance and long-term reconstruction.
“We will not consider this a completed mission until the last body is found,” a U.S. official said at the time, adding that the administration will not “hold up going to phase two for that because both parties have agreed to continue working in good faith.”
Gvili’s family had publicly urged the Israeli government not to proceed to the second phase until his remains were found and brought home, according to i24 News.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee praised the recovery, calling Gvili’s return “one of the most wonderful bits of news in a long time.”
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